Just one month before the end of the Verna lemon campaign, the sector has reported good results so far, with smooth demand at very reasonable prices, high quality and less competition from third countries.
The average price at origin in week 24 stands at 55 cents per kilo, as reported by AILIMPO on social media, which is a fair price for producers.
While there are concerns about the lack of water in different production areas of Murcia, the quality is excellent, mostly due to the good weather conditions in spring, which contributed to the growth of very commercial calibres.
Spain still dominates the market, gaining ground on the production from the Southern Hemisphere, especially Argentina and South Africa, which has arrived with considerable delays this year and affected by phytosanitary issues due to bad weather conditions.
Regarding exports, it has so far been a record campaign for Spanish lemons, with more shipments to traditional markets in the European Union and growth in third countries, particularly South East Asia and Africa.
According to AILIMPO, the total lemon harvest, taking into account both the Fino and Verna varieties, is expected to amount to about 1,100,000 tonnes, with 640,000 tonnes intended for export and 300,000 tonnes for processing. The rest will remain in the domestic market.